Modhera Sun Temple - A Brilliant Place to see in Gujrat, India

During our 4 days trip to Gujrat around Ahmedabad & Vadodara, we loved Modhera Sun Temple the most. Are you surprised to not see 'Statue of Unity' on the top? It's understandable. Both Modhera Sun Temple and Statue of Unity had special place in our experience, but both are very different and likeable for varied reasons. To our surprise, not lot of people prefer to visit Modhera Sun Temple from Ahmedabad and after visiting, I would say must do one day trip from Ahmedabad should be Modhera Sun Temple, Rani ki Vav in Patan and Adalaj ni Vav. This blogpost shares more about Modhera Sun Temple, what to expect at Modhera Sun Temple, entry ticket for Modhera Sun Temple, what not to miss at Modhera Sun Temple, things to skip at Modhera Sun Temple along with some tips around timings, weather etc.

During our 4 days trip to Gujrat around Ahmedabad & Vadodara, we loved Modhera Sun Temple the most. Are you surprised to not see 'Statue of Unity' on the top? It's understandable. Both Modhera Sun Temple and Statue of Unity had special place in our experience, but both are very different and likeable for varied reasons. To our surprise, not lot of people prefer to visit Modhera Sun Temple from Ahmedabad and after visiting, I would say must do one day trip from Ahmedabad should be Modhera Sun Temple, Rani ki Vav in Patan and Adalaj ni Vav. This blogpost shares more about Modhera Sun Temple, what to expect at Modhera Sun Temple, entry ticket for Modhera Sun Temple, what not to miss at Modhera Sun Temple, things to skip at Modhera Sun Temple along with some tips around timings, weather etc.  

Let's talk about timings of Modhera Sun Temple in Gujrat along with knowing the best time to visit Sun Temple in Modhera town and it's famous Modhera Dance festival.     Modhera Sun Temple opens at 7am everyday and closes at 6pm.     Related Blogpost from Gujrat - One day Trip around Ahmedabad - Adalaj ni Vav, Modhera Sun Temple, Patan's Rani ni Vav & Gandhinagar

Let's talk about timings of Modhera Sun Temple in Gujrat along with knowing the best time to visit Sun Temple in Modhera town and it's famous Modhera Dance festival. 

Modhera Sun Temple opens at 7am everyday and closes at 6pm. 

Related Blogpost from Gujrat - One day Trip around Ahmedabad - Adalaj ni Vav, Modhera Sun Temple, Patan's Rani ni Vav & Gandhinagar

Upcoming Modhera Dance Festival is happening from 19th Jan 2020 till 21st Jan, 2020. Precisely Modhera Dance Festival happens during second last weekend of Jan every year.     Related Blogpost from Gujrat - Travelling Camera in Gujarat || Exploring old Ahmedabad on foot    Sun Temple of Modhera is very well lit with colorful lights al around. And with some of the most beautiful curves on the temple walls, it looks spectacular during dark and breezy nights of January.

Upcoming Modhera Dance Festival is happening from 19th Jan 2020 till 21st Jan, 2020. Precisely Modhera Dance Festival happens during second last weekend of Jan every year. 

Related Blogpost from Gujrat - Travelling Camera in Gujarat || Exploring old Ahmedabad on foot

Sun Temple of Modhera is very well lit with colorful lights al around. And with some of the most beautiful curves on the temple walls, it looks spectacular during dark and breezy nights of January.

The Modhera Dance Festival which is also known as Uttarardh Mahotsavor Modhera Utsavis and is one of the most famous celebration of art, music, dance and culture, in Gujrat state of India. This unique occurrence showcases traditional dance forms of the region as well as acts as a platform bringing together the cultural ethos of other regions expressed in form of dance.

Entry fees for Modhera Sun Temple is 20 rs per person. There are no extra charges for camera. Modhera Sun Temple is maintained by Archeological Survey of India and as usual they do a pretty good job in maintaining the place. Ticket counter is manned by ASI employees, who are usually pretty knowledgeable, so feel free to talk to them and ask if you have any questions.     Related Blogpost from Gujrat - Travelling Camera in Gujarat || Interesting tour of Hutheesing Jain Temple

Entry fees for Modhera Sun Temple is 20 rs per person. There are no extra charges for camera. Modhera Sun Temple is maintained by Archeological Survey of India and as usual they do a pretty good job in maintaining the place. Ticket counter is manned by ASI employees, who are usually pretty knowledgeable, so feel free to talk to them and ask if you have any questions. 

Related Blogpost from Gujrat - Travelling Camera in Gujarat || Interesting tour of Hutheesing Jain Temple

Above photograph shows a small museum located inside Modhera Sun Temple compound. As you enter through the main gate, which is close to the ticket counter, the very first cut on your left takes you to this museum. Public washrooms are located behind this museum, which were not very clean. This is a single storey museum with lot of sculptures preserved from different periods.

Above photograph shows a small museum located inside Modhera Sun Temple compound. As you enter through the main gate, which is close to the ticket counter, the very first cut on your left takes you to this museum. Public washrooms are located behind this museum, which were not very clean. This is a single storey museum with lot of sculptures preserved from different periods. 

The Sun temple complex in Modhera is built in Chaulukya style. The temple complex has three components - the shrine  garbhagriha in a hall called gudhamandapa, the outer assembly hall sabhamandapa and a sacred reservoir with water in it.    Above photograph shows Sabhamandapa on the top and water reservoir in the front. Gudhamandapa is in the back side of the temple you see on the top.

The Sun temple complex in Modhera is built in Chaulukya style. The temple complex has three components - the shrine  garbhagriha in a hall called gudhamandapa, the outer assembly hall sabhamandapa and a sacred reservoir with water in it.

Above photograph shows Sabhamandapa on the top and water reservoir in the front. Gudhamandapa is in the back side of the temple you see on the top. 

We sat around this water reservoir for a long time, before we saw the main temple on the top. I walked around all four walls of this stepwell at Modhera Sun Temple. It was pretty hot in the month of October, so we took some small breaks around shade.

We sat around this water reservoir for a long time, before we saw the main temple on the top. I walked around all four walls of this stepwell at Modhera Sun Temple. It was pretty hot in the month of October, so we took some small breaks around shade. 

Above photograph is clicked from main Sun Temple facing towards the water reservoir. If you notice the background of photograph above, there is plenty of trees around well maintained & lush green lawns. These are brilliant spots to sit around & enjoy the beauty of Modhera Sun Temples in Gujrat.

Above photograph is clicked from main Sun Temple facing towards the water reservoir. If you notice the background of photograph above, there is plenty of trees around well maintained & lush green lawns. These are brilliant spots to sit around & enjoy the beauty of Modhera Sun Temples in Gujrat. 

The carving on pillars of the Modhera Sun Temple is phenomenal and kudos to ASI for preserving all this so well.

The carving on pillars of the Modhera Sun Temple is phenomenal and kudos to ASI for preserving all this so well.  

Symmetry across Modhera Sun Temple is very tempting and that's why you see so many photographs in this Photo Journey showing series of pillars or carvings leading to one another. In above photograph, Vibha is not really posing but waiting for me to move on and go to other side of the temple. That's a typical scene when I get so busy with my travellingcamera.

Symmetry across Modhera Sun Temple is very tempting and that's why you see so many photographs in this Photo Journey showing series of pillars or carvings leading to one another. In above photograph, Vibha is not really posing but waiting for me to move on and go to other side of the temple. That's a typical scene when I get so busy with my travellingcamera.  

Sunlight plays various games with these beautifully carved walls of Modhera Sun Temple. This light & shadow pattern looks different at various times of the day & influenced a lot by sun, it's direction and power of the light on a particular day.

Sunlight plays various games with these beautifully carved walls of Modhera Sun Temple. This light & shadow pattern looks different at various times of the day & influenced a lot by sun, it's direction and power of the light on a particular day. 

Travellingcamera loved clicking these shadows of Modhera Sun Temple in Gujrat. All photograph shown in this Photo Journey are clicked with mobile phone camera.

Travellingcamera loved clicking these shadows of Modhera Sun Temple in Gujrat. All photograph shown in this Photo Journey are clicked with mobile phone camera. 

Modhera Sun Temple is a millennium old temple dedicated to Surya in Gujrat state of India. Modhera is around a two hour drive from Ahmedabad. There is no active worship occurring in the temple at present, although there are two shrines to Shiva besides the temple that do see worship.

Modhera Sun Temple is a millennium old temple dedicated to Surya in Gujrat state of India. Modhera is around a two hour drive from Ahmedabad. There is no active worship occurring in the temple at present, although there are two shrines to Shiva besides the temple that do see worship. 


Modhera Sun Temple is very well maintained, with a short walk through gardens leading to the stepwell behind which lies the main temple. Being an ASI site, official guides are available and you can chose to have a guide with you who help understanding history & how this space evolved over the centuries.


Modhera Sun Temple is very well maintained, with a short walk through gardens leading to the stepwell behind which lies the main temple. Being an ASI site, official guides are available and you can chose to have a guide with you who help understanding history & how this space evolved over the centuries. 

Sabhamandapa is the one which you see on the right side of the photograph above. It's assembly hall or dancing hall is parallelogram with rows of pillars opening entrance on each side diagonally.

Sabhamandapa is the one which you see on the right side of the photograph above. It's assembly hall or dancing hall is parallelogram with rows of pillars opening entrance on each side diagonally. 

The stepwell on the west of Kunda has one entrance and two pavilion-towers. It is moderately ornamented as you can make out from photographs of Modhera Sun Temple complex.

The stepwell on the west of Kunda has one entrance and two pavilion-towers. It is moderately ornamented as you can make out from photographs of Modhera Sun Temple complex. 

If you are planning to visit Modhera Sun Temple, plan to go earlier in the morning to beat the worst of the sun.     This is the 2nd temple which is devoted to Lord Sun after Konark Temple at Orissa state of India. Modhera Sun Temple is 30-40km from Mehsana which is 70-80km from Capital Ahmadabad.


If you are planning to visit Modhera Sun Temple, plan to go earlier in the morning to beat the worst of the sun. 

This is the 2nd temple which is devoted to Lord Sun after Konark Temple at Orissa state of India. Modhera Sun Temple is 30-40km from Mehsana which is 70-80km from Capital Ahmadabad. 

Modhera Sun Temple is a must visit place around Ahmedabad. Architecturally rich, and it's not just the temple, but also has a structurally fantastic step-well, with 108 shrines in it. Pleasant landscaping around the complex adds to the heritage look. Above photograph shows the first view of the temple you get while walking into the temple complex from ticket counter.

Modhera Sun Temple is a must visit place around Ahmedabad. Architecturally rich, and it's not just the temple, but also has a structurally fantastic step-well, with 108 shrines in it. Pleasant landscaping around the complex adds to the heritage look. Above photograph shows the first view of the temple you get while walking into the temple complex from ticket counter. 

Modhera Sun Temple was best place from our day trip from Ahmedabad and we highly recommend planning a visit to Modhera to see this magical Sun Temple of Gujrat.

Modhera Sun Temple was best place from our day trip from Ahmedabad and we highly recommend planning a visit to Modhera to see this magical Sun Temple of Gujrat. 

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